What is a characteristic finding in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy?

In arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, a characteristic finding is the replacement of normal heart muscle tissue with fibrous scar and adipose (fat) tissue, particularly in the right ventricle. This pathological change leads to electrical instability and is associated with an increased risk of arrhythmias. The presence of fibrous scars disrupts the normal electrical conduction pathways, which is a hallmark of the disease and contributes to the clinical presentation of arrhythmias and heart failure.

This condition typically presents with right ventricular dilation and dysfunction, and the replacement of cardiac myocytes with fat and fibrous tissue is crucial for the diagnosis. Understanding this characteristic can help differentiate arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy from other types of cardiomyopathy, which may present with different histological findings. For example, left ventricular wall thickening generally suggests conditions like hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, while calcification of the valves is typically associated with valvular heart disease. Hypertrophy of the myocardium is more consistent with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy rather than arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.